POTS Old Version
by Mearii
Summary: Discontinued. Please check out the revised edition of POTS.
1. Prologue

**Author Notes**: This is my first fanfic ever, and ever published on this network here... so I'm just figuring stuff out. Being the very... unique person I am, it's all a little confusing. o-O;;

I started this ficcy-thing 'ere before I ever knew about so I do have a website hosted by Freewebs for it! It's actually pretty spiffeh, maybe you should check it out. xD

I decided to publish Pieces of the Sky here so 1.) it could get more publicity, 2.) I could edit it easier, and 3.) I could sue if someone steals it, so please- all comments, suggestions, and... anything else mentionable welcome! Enjoy my first fic, even though the introduction is a little short...

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Prologue

**_A legend survives_** solely on the wind's tongue of a universe plunged into darkness. Only a young boy who wielded a mythical weapon, christened the Keyblade, could destroy this morose upon all the worlds. The controllers of this dreaded power were monsters whom called themselves the Heartless, feeding off of other's hearts for they had none. In their effort to contain the power of the hearts, they had deprived the hero of his friends and engulfed his world in blackness.  
With a strong notion and an even stronger heart, the boy allied with a couple of royal servants of the King himself and set out to destroy this menace and reunite with his old friends. Encountering new worlds and new companions, his quest was one of nothing before. Obstacles of great terror and threat arose, yet still conquered, and soon enough his adventures concluded and the lands were left to prosper in peace for generations to come.

The intrepid boy one day anonymously vanished, but his tale was still passed from world to world, and century to century. Though he had never returned; each child's eyes would quiver with excitement as their minds interpreted this story that was told to them, but during the years of serenity and the many mouths that spoke of this saga, his name was lost into the abyss and the universe ceased to remember the boy who wielded the Keyblade; the chosen one who saved all from complete chaos. The forgotten hero.

Until now.

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	2. Denial and Doubt

**Author Notes**: Yay! My first chappie! I'M SO PROUD! -tear-  
The main character of this story is Taiyou, which means 'sun' in Japanese. I just thought it was appropriate- you'll find out why later. Her best friend is Shanteru, who was named after my friend Chantsi.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Or anything related to that 'cept this story. Actually, there aren't any Kingdom Hearts related things in this chapter... -gets pelted with marshmellows- O-o;; But the next chappie... will... -flees-

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_"Race you to the shore, Taiyou!"_

A blur of pale skin and sandy blonde hair bounds past her friend and toward the ocean. "Hey!" Taiyou called to her, jumping into a sprint, "No fair, Shansti!"

The two friends dashed head to head, leaping onto the stone barrier that separated their town from the beach. Shanteru flashed a smirk at her company- "I win!" she said mockingly.  
Taiyou brushed some of her light brown hair from her face, mild perspiration forming on her forehead and cheeks, "Well, you had a head start!"  
"Excuses, excuses," Shanteru shrugged, "I still beat you." She beamed proudly.

Before Taiyou could retort back, her friend looked out at the sky. "Isn't it beautiful?"  
Taiyou faced the horizon herself. The sun was setting; tinting the usual azure sky into a rosy pink. The waters were also colored a bright orange, and the tranquil colors danced on the verge of the clouds. The ocean seemed to be sucking the sun into its watery depths, and without even knowing Taiyou's consciousness began to ebb and flow like the tides on the beach.

She was awaken to her friend prodding her in the shoulder. "Tai!" she said, "What's up with you?" Taiyou shook her head and returned to reality, "Wha...?" she mumbled.  
"C'mon, we should head back." Shantsi cast a look of wonder at her friend, "Your mother will kill the both of us if we're late again." Without a word, the duo hopped off the wall and set out for home.  
Suddenly, Taiyou was overcome with a strange feeling. This force tugged at the back of her mind to just take one last look out at that scenery. Unable to deny it, Taiyou stopped in her tracks and turned to overlook the landscape once more.  
It was just the same as a few minutes ago... but wait. What was that in the distance? Squinting, she could only make out what appeared to be a shard of light falling from the sky. She was taken aback for a moment as the shooting star descended into the ocean and disappeared from sight. Her eyes widened, _What was_ that? she thought for a heartbeat. "TAIYOU!" Shanteru called, already far away from her friend, "It's just a sunset, we can see it tomorrow, too, y'know!"  
"Tomorrow..." Taiyou whispered, her pale blue eyes still fixed on where that source had plunged into the sea. Then she shook her head, returning to the present. _What is wrong with me?_ she pondered absently, then went to catch up with Shantsi.

--**x**--

By the time the two girls had reached Taiyou's house, night had dominated the sky. A few specks of light swirled around a hypnotizing full moon, and the grass glistened in the moonshine, hinting of earlier rain. "So..." Taiyou began nervously, observing her friend as she traced the intricate pattern carved into her doorbell. "I'll see you tomorrow, then." The tone in Shanteru's voice made it seem like a demand. Her serious gaze met up with Taiyou's, "Summer is almost over, y'know."  
Taiyou's heart lurched at her words; for after summer break, the girls would be separated. Taiyou was summoned to a private school far away from her best friend, her home, her old life. The pair attempted to push away the dreaded thoughts- but she knew they would have to face it eventually. Anxiously leaning against her door, her hand inconspicuously placed on the knob, she replied hopefully, "Well, how about if we visit that old church tomorrow? I mean... if you're brave enough to venture inside."  
Her eyes darted to her worn-out sandals, but Shantsi slightly smiled. "Me?" she retorted in a taunting manner, "You're the chicken!"  
"Oh, we'll see who's the chicken tomorrow." Taiyou playfully stuck out her tongue, and slipped inside her abode. Waving a tiny farewell as she entered.

"Well, there you are!" A tall yet stout woman greeted Taiyou as soon as she had closed the door. "Come, now, your dinner's getting cold!"

"Sorry, Mom." She grinned sheepishly and headed for the table, just realizing how hungry she was.  
Although, one look at her mother's hamburger and rice, and something-or-other casserole left her appetite ruined. She sighed, watching the steam rise and evanesce as it tickled her nose. She took a few gulps of milk and stabbed at the mess, moving it around so it looked like she ate it. As soon as her mom took a seat at the table, Taiyou wrapped her scrawny arms around her abdomen. "Mom, may I be excused? I don't feel too well..." Her mom bestowed a sympathetic look, but granted her permission. With a small thanks and apology, Taiyou practically flew upstairs into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.  
With her mind in pandemonium, Taiyou curled up on a wooden chair next to her window. She opened the window in desire for some fresh air to release her from this whirl. She viewed the scenery from her front yard; a bench swing gently creaking in the gale, the invisible crickets in an orchestra. Her whole lawn just seemed like some different celestial dimension- with the shimmering silver moonlight reflecting a metallic shine on all it touched.  
Taiyou's regard turned to that complete moon that seemed so beautiful- as if she could just reach out and touch it. Then that same feeling returned. The similar force that occurred just before at dusk, when all she could stare at was that planet in the sky; soaking in her consciousness like everything else dissolved around her. However, as she watched, something amazing happened. The moon began to twist and turn as if taking another shape. A gasp escaped the girl's compressed lips. How she wanted to look away in her disbelief, to keep it from happening, but that impel kept her from averting the situation. Finally, the shape shifting had cease, and the moon had switched to another form- the form of a heart.

**A heart.** It all seemed so unreal, like she was caught in a dream, trapped, with no way out. The moon changing before her very eyes, it just couldn't have happened. It wasn't logical! A whine echoed throughout the room, followed by an eerie silence and, soon enough, a steady breathing of slumber.  
That night, Taiyou's dreams were filled with nightmarish scenes depicting that different moon. Merely this time, a shadow of a human was silhouetted against its shape. Out of the dark haze, a terrifying voice whispered and coaxed to her, "Chaos is coming... death at your door..."

--**x**--

Birdsong permeated the air, ringing through the morning like a bell. This awoke Taiyou from her sufferable sleep, and once she realized that she accidentally fell unconscious by her windowsill, she grabbed a tatted notebook in her reach, and freed a pencil from its unruly binds. _'Dear Diary...'_ she began to write on the crinkled pages, before she noticed that something was already written upon them, and in her own handwriting:

_Visions in my mind-  
Memories of a past life  
As pieces of the sky  
Fall, one by one._

_Like the ocean waves  
My spirit ebbs and flows  
The rest of your future  
Rests in my arms._

"Taiyou!" a familiar voice split the wordless atmosphere, and Taiyou's focus was weakened. She blinked a few times, slightly in shock, but eventually recovered and poked her head out the window to discover Shanteru standing at her front door. Slightly waving, she dived downstairs and opened the door, calling out to her mom; "Mom! I'm going with Shantsi! Be back soon!" With a word of confirmation from her mother, the duo was out on their paths to the old church, Taiyou nearly forgetting the mysterious poem.

Carving out a path in the trees and shrubs, Taiyou and Shantsi finally found what they were looking for. Ghost stories from their childhoods told them of this wretched place- a dreary establishment where two go in; but only one comes out.  
The church was illustrated just as the fables, its stone walls slightly crumbled, the door broken off its hinges; the whole place had a haunting aura. Its entrance welcomed the shivering girls to infinite darkness. "So..." Taiyou urged, "Go on in."  
At first Shantsi looked at her friend as if she were crazy, but deeply her eyes glowed with fear. She inched her way to the opening, not glancing back, and vanished within the tempting black. Worry stuck Taiyou's chest and she nearly rushed in after her.  
Nothing. That was all they could see. It was so dark, and so large, that although there were a few windows, that was all the light they could receive. Taiyou could hear Shantsi whimper, and suddenly felt very guilty. "Aww, Shantsi. C'mon, there's nothing to see in here. Let's go." Turning around, she took hold of Shantsi's arm and guided her to the exit.  
But the further they went towards it, the farther away it seemed. Soon enough the light of the egress shrunk until it was no more. Taiyou freed her friend's wrist from her grasp; the void was overwhelming, and her head began to spin. Moments of sheer silence passed as Taiyou re-collected herself. "Shantsi?" she called out. No answer. She began to shake uncontrollably, and found herself starting to scream out Shanteru's name.

--**x**--

How long has it been? It seemed like Taiyou was wandering in the eternal blackness forever. Even the light from the windows was gone- like it evaporated along with her friend. She was in tears, and fell to her knees in a heap of misery. What was going on lately? Will she ever get out of here? Questions raced through her mind- questions she just couldn't answer. Sobbing resounded in the emptiness, and the young girl was in so much shock she collapsed in unconsciousness. _I never should have come here... this is all my fault..._ repeated in her head throughout her unconscious state.

There was no way out.


	3. Blaming Yourself

**Author Notes**: Aaack! I lost this chappy! o-O; Sorry for the inconveinence if it caused anyone any. But its back up! Yay. Party. Whoo.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. There, I said it.

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_"Taiyou… wake up…" _

"Shantsi?" Taiyou snapped awake to find herself on a mosaic floor, a bright light illuminating the room from every corner. "Shantsi?" she said hoarsely once more.  
"Taiyou…" the voice was unfamiliar, definitely not who she was looking for. "Where's Shantsi?" Taiyou cried, sitting up straight. The feeling in her legs was gone, and she didn't want to risk trying to stand up now.  
"The door has opened once more…" the utterance continued, and Taiyou searched in vain for the origin of it. "Your friend is ill, Taiyou… it's all your fault…" Taiyou's heart sunk.

"No…"

She froze, thinking of the bleak of the church and losing her chum in the darkness.  
"The only way to cure her is to find the key to her heart… it's the only way…"  
Taiyou clenched her fists. "Who are you!" she snapped, her sadness transitioning to rage, "Tell me!" But the voice only repeated the two manipulating phrases as it faded away:

_"It's all your fault… it's the only way…"_

As the voice dwindled into nothing, the only presence in the room was the tear-stained, confused girl huddled inside herself. She opened her mouth to call for someone- anyone, but before anything was murmured, a blinding light sprang from the floor, brightening everything to intangible.

Taiyou snapped awake with a heave. She retrieved her sense of presence- that she was lying on her bed in the night, sweat streaming from her forehead. She sobbed, telling herself over and over that it was all a dream; but herself would not believe her.  
She not dare try to fall asleep again, not even close her eyes for a moment. She turned the story over and over in her mind; Shantsi's sick… the moon… the shore… that force… Before she knew it, the sun peeked from behind the mountains across the ocean, casting a spell of light on the simple burg of Twilight Town. As soon as the sun reached her eyes, Taiyou launched herself out of her bed and straight towards her friend's house. _Shantsi's not sick… she's not… this isn't real…_

--**x**--

"I'm sorry, Taiyou. Shantsi can't come out today. She's a little under the weather." Shantsi's father had greeted Taiyou, unfortunately, at the door.  
"No…"  
Taiyou's mouth dropped. "Please, sir," she tried her hardest to stop incoming tears and breaking into sobs, "Can I come in and see her?"  
He nodded a little, then guided Taiyou to Shanteru's bedroom to see her befallen friend. As soon as she found Shanteru, she rushed over and dropped to her knees, clasping her lifeless hand. "I'm sorry, Shantsi…" she trailed off, "…I can fix this. I-I… promise."  
"Taiyou…"  
Shantsi half-opened her frail eyes, turning her head slightly to look at her friend. "I… thought… they got you too."  
"…What?"

However, Shantsi said not another word, nor made another sound. Her rasping breathing was even quieting, and Taiyou placed her weak hand on her heart. The key to her heart… she thought as she got up and left her friend to wallow in her dreary malady. Don't worry, Shantsi. Everything's gonna be all right…

Thinking this, though, Taiyou wasn't so sure that anything will ever be the same again.

--**x**--

Another night, another nightmare. Taiyou's sleep was filled with pictures of a dark staff, a hidden blade shaped as a key, concealed within the mountains. The key to her heart.. the same slithering voice slipped from nothing, reminding her with distress.  
Awoken by the sunlight once more, Taiyou was overcome with a deep depression. "What can I do?" she pondered aloud, glancing out her window. That's when she saw those mountains in the distance. Flashes of that dark key blinked in her head, and she was so suddenly motivated, she almost jumped out her window.  
Her parents still sleeping, Taiyou left with nothing. Not a word of good-bye, not a necessity but the clothes on her back. She was completely oblivious to how long she would take, and how much her new beginning would unfold. She cast one soft smile over her shoulder at her old sanctuary, the very place she was raised, before heading out the door.  
She trudged through Twilight Town, trying to be solemn and out of sight. A few people had caught her and waved or called a friendly hello, although thinking it was just like any normal day. The dark cloud returned when Taiyou looked through their perspective. They had no clue that Shantsi was sick, that Taiyou had to go and recover a secret weapon, having no sense whatsoever of what she had to do or what lied ahead. Nevertheless, her expression brightened once more when she came upon the shore of the beach. Inhaling deeply, she took a final view of the mountains and the sun in the horizon. It could be the last time she may ever see the mountains from her angle. Closing her eyes, she smelled the sweet saltiness of the ocean, letting the gust brush up against her cheeks.

_"The sun and the sky will come together and restore peace throughout the lands."_

Her eyelids snapped open. There was another voice… but this one was different. This voice was of a young girl, who sounded somewhat like Shanteru. Her speech was soft and gentle, beautiful and trustworthy. Taiyou's eyes darted to the sandy floor when she thought of her friend. Then she saw the most peculiar sight, but then again, everything was mixed up in her world lately.

Footprints in the sand. There were prints in the shape of fragile yet bare feet, extending out towards the mountains and vanished when they reached the ocean.  
For the third time in this third day, the same force had returned. Taiyou dared not protest against it this time. She took one step towards the path laid out for her- then another. Slowly she seemed to get lost in the feeling, this hypnotizing trance. Her feet were wet now, and the soothing waves nudged and caressed her ankles. Suddenly, one of the tiny waves began to flourish, and increase in size, until it was even taller than Taiyou herself. Still induced by this phase, she stopped in her tracks and let the wave pass over her being. She could hear the roaring of the angry tides crashing down upon her form, and feel herself losing footing on the beach. She could not panic- not even if she wanted to. Her heart was content, as if a voice was cradling her soul, coaxing her gently to not fear.  
That is, until, the feeling disintegrated as quickly as it came, and Taiyou could finally feel her shortage of breath, being smothered by the raging waters. She let out the last of her air in agitation and was lost to unconsciousness yet again.

--**x**--

Abruptly Taiyou felt herself being flung against a hard surface, and attempted to open her eyes to discover where she was. Coughing up dirt, she lifted her head as high as she could to examine the current atmosphere. It was a cave-like setting, with dark haze floating about, making it nearly impossible to see ahead. It was damp and dark, but Taiyou could make out white markings on the walls of the cave, as if someone sketched them on many years ago. She elevated herself to her feet and began to explore these strange drawings.  
They all made no sense to her; she could barely make out any shapes or forms. To her, they all seemed like white blobs smeared across the rocks. That was when she came upon one she recognized- two humans messily drawn, one male and one female. Both facing each other and wearing obviously blissful grins, they appeared to be handing each other 'stars' symbolized by a curl of white. In such a hopeless setting, this scribble on the wall put a short smile on Taiyou's face before she heard a voice behind her: "Paopu fruits," it belonged to a young boy, "If two share a Paopu fruit, their destinies become intertwined. Forever."  
Taiyou turned to face the bearer of those words. He was in his youth, and he looked about Taiyou's age. He had blonde, spiked hair and shared the same blue eyes as she. A bright beam of light behind him illuminated his features- his gentle face harbored a solacing smile, and his shining eyes were filled with many memories and much knowledge. He was holding his arms out, his palms up as the mist parted around him, the light making it recede in all directions. Examining him, Taiyou could not help but feel as if she knew him- as if they were close once before. Her heart grew warm gazing into his eyes, but before she could get lost in their depths, she shook her head.

"Who are you?"  
He did not answer her inquiry, but he spoke up again. "Traveling by dreams…" his eyes locked onto her, "You're halfway there."  
"What do you mean?"

Taiyou eased a hand in his direction, in an effort to touch him and see if he was really there. But before she could reach him, the light grew fainter as did this boy, and eventually the curious girl was left in complete darkness and an even greater immoral- loneliness.

--**x--**

A chilling breeze tickled Taiyou's face. She opened her eyes to realize that she was looking down at her Twilight Town below her. "H… how'd I get here?" she asked audibly, in a useless likelihood that someone may answer all her questions, and tell her everything will be fine. Responded to with silence, she continued up the mountain- in another hope that she may somehow, anyhow, find what she was looking for.  
However, her scour was in vain, for she traced many lengths of the mountain, unable to go any higher for the frigid temperatures. Hours passed, and the sun was no longer there to guide her. She began to lose all faith. Maybe the answer didn't lie in the mountains, and all her fears and nightmares would come to life. Maybe there was no way she could keep her promise to her friend that everything would be all right. Maybe, just maybe, she couldn't even return home.


	4. Light the Way with Darkness

**Author Notes**: Third chapter. Whoo-hoo.  
Excuse my lack of enthusiasim, but I'm a little irked 'cuz I can't center little bits of my text. So sorry for the irkiness of non-center-alignment. Well, it irks me, anyways. Y'know, isn't 'irk' starting to sound kinda funny to you?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts or anything related to it. But I do wish I owned Sora. -long sob-

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"_When you doubt the path trod thus far, when the hand you held is lost to you; gaze anew at the heart that once was. For all answers are within."_

"Lost." Taiyou echoed from her visions, that single word had so much impact- so much feeling and meaning. It would have brought a tear to her eye if her heart and her expression didn't feel like stone. She was determined to find this cure for Shanteru- or risk her life doing it. She kept herself going by reminding her of the good times with her pal, and the limited time they had left to have any more. She was on the verge of breaking down- but she kept searching, her notions stronger than any emotions, whether bravery or fear, but they both clutched at her heart.  
Night had returned, and a quarter moon rested contentedly in the sky. Taiyou observed with envy. If only she knew her place in this world... to be a part of the sky, where all her pain and suffering would just melt away… Deep within her heart she just wanted the moon to open a path for her towards the sky, a path she could follow where _everything would be all right_.

Suddenly, moonlight spilled out amongst the starlit sky. The heavenly brilliance seemed to pour like a stream as if the moon itself had burst. The twinkling transparent waters were of nothing she had ever seen before, and they trickled down to the end of her feet. Fascinated, Taiyou couldn't help but venture closer, until she taken her first step on the moonlit road. The path parted about her feet like water, opening as her weight was placed on its delicate form. She feared she might fall through and drop to her death, but a phrase stuck to her mind- asentence her mother used to tell her when she was only little, andkept her from retreating:

**Follow your heart, for it always knows the way.**

She slowly made her way toward that wondrous slice of the moon, but before she reached it a large shadow appeared, blocking her path. Taiyou shrieked, about to turn and flee, but it engulfed her with such haste she could not respond, and she neglected herself in its deepness.  
A light flickered in the overcoming black, and soon it illuminated and took shape into a human. A young boy- the same boy she had encountered earlier on her trail. He sent her that same understanding smile, and calmed her with his words; "Listen to your heart," he said, covering his hand to his own, "And you'll find your light in the darkness."  
Her eyes softened and her spirit calmed at the sight of this boy. Mimicking him, she put her hands to her chest. Almost suddenly, a word had caught her tongue. A name that she was compelled to bursting, losing her presence in his oceanic eyes once more.  
"Roxas?"  
With a slight nod, the light surrounding this boy, Roxas, erupted into hundreds of white doves. As they flew away, feathers floating to the ground, the light died and Taiyou felt the floor collapse on her. She let out a stifled yelp as she was sent plummeting into an even greater darkness.

--**x**--

_The key to her heart rests here._ Mumbling, Taiyou found it hard to open her eyes this time. She wished she didn't have to. The entire meaning of her journey seemed to be slipping from her fingers like sand. Again she hauled herself up, until something had stuck her. She noticed that she had returned to the cave, the same place where she first met Roxas, and studied the sketches on the walls. The same sketches were still there, but instead of a cave, it just looked like a dark passageway under an island. She could hear the rushing water of a mighty falls near, and the floor under her feet was nothing but sand, dimmed to gray with the lack of light.  
She perceived her environment for the second time. The same jumbled drawings were scratched on the rock wall, but looking ahead she noticed something different. A beautifully carved door with a golden rim stood in her direction. Interested, Taiyou opened the door only to be blinded by the brightest light she had ever witnessed. Hesitation pulled at her, but she carried on until the door slammed shut behind her and the light disappeared.  
All of the enclosure she stepped into was darkness. There was a faint light in the distance, that pulsed with unwelcome and terror. As if in a dark realm, Taiyou had nothing to look towards but the light. She approached it with caution to discover a weapon plunged into an iron stand. Images of that key shaped blade pulsated into her mind. Nearly sub-consciously, Taiyou took hold of its (handle). Her hand started to burn and throb with pain, but the blade would not let her release it. She tore it from its prison. The impact sent her flying onto her back, and she stared at her newly claimed weapon with fear.  
She could feel itsstrength in her arm, as ifall her hate and all her negativity drained into it to be given off as power. Still trapped in the shock of it all, she swiftly lifted herself to her feet and ran towards the door that once stood there. But this time when she opened it, there was nothing but endless darkness. Sadness flooded over her to not be welcomed by the comforting light, but she dived into the murkiness anyway, not knowing how much time she had left.

--**x**--

Taiyou exploded at her friend's door. "Shantsi! Shantsi!" she cried, running as fast as her legs could carry her to Shanteru's bedroom. She opened the door with a crash, and found her friend sprawled out in her bed, just as she had left her.  
That's when everything froze.  
The birdsong outside had ceased, same as the howling of the wind against the shutters. Everything was at rest except for Taiyou and her ill friend. Without taking heed to what had happened, she did the best she could to prod her friend awake.  
"Taiyou... is that you?" Shantsi's voice was frail and stiff.  
"Shantsi," Taiyou was in a near-whisper, "I promised I'd make it all better. And I will." With that, she pointed the key to the heart of her friend, pleading it to fix her. A dark beam emitted from its tip, and all light of day faded out as if a thick cloud had moved in front of the sun. The shaft of black swam straight into Shantsi's chest, crippling her.  
"Taiyou... how could you?" Shantsi looked into Taiyou's eyes, filled with torturing and swirling darkness. Taiyou couldn't believe what was happening, and she wailed, releasing the blade from her clasp. It hung there in midair, as Taiyou could only watch in horror as it sucked the life from her friend.

The sunlight had returned, but the time was still lost. The only breathing substance in the enclosure was Taiyou, her breath faint. The key dropped to the ground as darkness formed around it and it melted into the floor. Taiyou rushed to her friends bedside. "Shantsi... Shanteru... wake up. Please... please... wake up..." she begged in despair, tears flowing from her broken eyes. But Shansti's skin and eyes were as pale as a ghost; she showed no signs of slumber.  
Not knowing what to do, Taiyou raced out the door, to get anyone to help. People were frozen in the streets, and nothing showed any sign of movement.

_This is all my fault._ She looked to the sky above, hoping to be comforted by its beauty and confidence in a shade of azure. Unfortunately, the sky too had dimmed, and Taiyou examined in helplessness as cracks began to form throughout its color. Suddenly, the sky shattered like glass, into millions and millions of pieces, leaving behind a deep darkness- like night without a moon or stars.  
Taiyou gazed into the black, its coiling emptiness striking fear and hatred into her heart. She embraced herself as the pieces of the sky came hurtling down to Twilight Town, and she was knocked unconscious by their unbelievable weight.

_"Time ticks on... forever  
In the depths of a broken heart,  
As __pieces of my soul  
Scatter, one by one. _

_A morning sunrise  
I look out- to find you  
With a hopeful sky remaining  
But you aren't there."_

"Hey, Taiyou. Wake up, now!"  
"...Mom?"  
Taiyou rubbed her eyes and opened them, feeling a tight pain in her side and her head. "Ohh..." she groaned, and sat up, wiping sweat from her face. She was laying on a damp tarp, and could feel debris poke her through the thin sheet of burlap.  
"Mom!"  
A figure emerged in her view. Slightly dazed, Taiyou could make out his brown, spiky hair, and intense blue eyes much like hers. Focusing harder, she noticed he was wearing a black outfit, with a dark purple shirt under an unzipped jacket. Yellow bands were wrapped around his dark pants that stopped at his ankles, and he was wearing sable shoes with yellow accents, their size symbolizing how abnormally large his feet were. A chain was draped about his neck, a silver crown pendant dangling as he leaned over her with a hopeful smile.

"Roxas...?"

"Close enough." he flashed her an ear-long grin that made her slightly giggle. She blinked a few times to regain focus as he extended a gloved hand to help her up. "Hi," he introduced himself, "I'm Sora."  
"Who?"  
Her words unveiled a confused look on the boy's face. "You never heard of me?" he rubbed his chin, inspecting this girl from top to bottom.  
She looked about his age- maybe fifteen- with the same light chocolate, unmanageable hair and sky blue eyes. She seemed to even be a reflection of himself- with a determined brow and similar height, yet her attire was torn and dirtied so much that it was almost non-wearable. "So you're Taiyou, huh..." he murmured. Taiyou recoiled as if he had thrown a blow at her.  
"You've heard of me!" she gasped.  
"Somewhere... I guess." Sora shrugged, not too sure how he recognized this stranger. He wasn't even sure how he ended up here or even where 'here' was. What ever happened to his old friends?  
Sora put his hand on his head, appearing to be in deep thought; the last thing he remembered was traveling to Twilight Town to visit his friends Hayner, Olette, and Pence. Then all of a sudden, he woke up here in the middle of this destruction, layered with trash and shards of glass.  
"Sora...?"  
In all his thinking, he must have forgot about Taiyou, a girl he found lying limp under a thick fragment of cracked translucent glass with a small azure tint to it. He tended her wounds as best he could, and now that she was awake he could ask her where she came from, too.

"So... Taiyou..." Sora didn't even know where to start, "Where are we?"  
"I... don't remember..." the girl just sat there, dumbfounded, looking about her and trying to reminisce. "Okay... then..." maybe he could try again, "Where are you from?"  
"Twilight Town." she responded, "Why?" Sora exchanged a perplexed look, "Hmm... I wonder why I've never seen you around there, then..." he muttered under his breath.  
"What was that?"  
"Oh, nothing."  
"Well, _Sora_. Where exactly did you come from?"  
"I can't believe you've never heard of me before. I've played an important part in Twilight Town's history." he chuckled.  
"I told you- I've never seen you around my town."  
"Huh... surely you've heard of my friends- Hayner, Olette, and Pence?"  
"No. I... I haven't."

Something wasn't right here. How could this girl be from Twilight Town, but not know his friends- or even him- the town's _savior_. Maybe she was suffering from a small amnesia...  
"B-but you've heard of Roxas, then?"  
"Yeah. He looks somewhat like you, Sora."  
"Wonder why..." Sora joked, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. Perhaps he should be patient and wait for this girl's memory to return. Funny, though... some strange feeling stirred inside him. _I know this girl from somewhere._ he thought. "Hey, maybe you'll recognize me with this..."

Taiyou watched in amazement as flecks of light poured from his outstretched hand, gathering together to form one object. As the light faded, it formed a blade shaped like a key, with a complex pattern and a chain dangling from it handle. Pictures of the dark weapon that took her friend's life played through her head, and she shuddered.

"It looks like..." she started, but stopped in mid-sentence.  
"So you do know the Keyblade?"  
"The... Keyblade..."  
"That's right."

Sora could see her eyes widening as the color drained from them. "Something wrong?" he asked, curious. "Please... put it away." Taiyou's gaze was fastened to that Keyblade, as if her whole life lingered on it. With a sigh of frustration he opened his palms, letting the weapon dissolve into thin air.

"I'm... sorry." his eyes darted to his feet.  
"N-no, it's fine. I'm o-okay..." Taiyou lied, faking a smile.

Sora fake-grinned back, then raised his arm up and cast a glance at his empty wrist. "I wonder what time it is," he hummed, then looked up to check the sun's place in the sky. His jaw dropped and his optics broadened. Afraid at what he was gaping at, Taiyou paused in hesitation, but turned her head to see in Sora's perspective.  
"This is Twilight Town," she whispered, disbelieving how they hadn't noticed it before. The sky was no longer clear blue- but a dark, menacing purplish gray, as that of a storm cloud. It was overcast with a murky, clouded appearance, and the sun was nowhere to be seen. Taiyou thought she spotted a pair of gleaming eyes watching her from above, and she began to feel light-headed. Instead of losing it, she shivered with terror, and let out a screech, shielding herself with her arms as if the sky was falling upon her again.

"This is Twilight Town?"

Sora uncovered his ears after her frantic phase was finished, and turned around in his location, his feet scratching up against the broken ice underneath them. He looked about for anything familiar- the train station, the clock tower... but everything was concealed within destruction, lost below the **pieces of the sky**.


	5. Only the Beginning

**Author Notes**: It's me! But more importantly, my new chappie. This one is a little rough, I still think I need to clean it up a bit. I'm just too lazy, is all. In fact, I'm too lazy to even write these author notes. Just read the chapter.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or the stuff related to it like the Gummi ship, or Sora. Even though I control his free will in this story..._ kekeke_... maybe he'll suddenly break into a hula dance..._

* * *

_

_"Sora, what's wrong?"_

Sora had placed himself on the tarp, setting his head in his hands and his hands in his knees. He was traumatized- where was he, exactly? This wasn't Twilight Town- this seemed like some other world, some dark, lifeless planet. There was a lump in his throat, and he choked back tears. It was no concern why Taiyou wanted to know who he was, and why this bothered him as much as she. He released a shaky sigh, and contemplated her understanding eyes.  
"I've seen that same darkness before. Just like I've seen you before, too, Taiyou."  
"Well that's just creepy, because I've seen you once as well."  
"But if you're from Twilight Town, how come you don't remember me- or any of my friends?"  
"Uhh..."  
Taiyou was baffled, she couldn't even answer her own questions. What had happened, and why was she here? A reminisce hit her like a rock, and the vision of the inanimate Shanteru and that Keyblade sucking the life from her replayed in her mind. She felt her fists tighten as anguish and blame built up inside her. Suddenly, she burst all her negative feelings towards Sora, huddled in his own.  
"Wait, why do you have a Keyblade?"  
Sora flinched at her harsh tone, and lifted his head from his arms. "Because..." he began, gesturing at his self, "It chose me."  
"But why did it take my friend's life?"  
Taiyou stopped herself, realizing she probably wasn't even making sense anymore. However, Sora was interested.  
"It... it did?"  
"Well, it didn't look exactly like that one you had before, but I know it did!"  
Sora rubbed his forehead, apparently filled with stress and confusion. Taiyou was still standing there, her fists so tense she could feel her fingernails dig into her palms.  
"What did it look like?" the boy questioned.  
It was easy to describe in strict detail to him what the weapon looked like- the image of it was still fresh in her mind as if she were holding it now.  
"It was black and dark purple, like the sky," she narrated, disguising her voice from shaking, "On one end, there was a curved, lightning shaped kind of pattern, and a freaky looking jewel was at the tip. The other side of it looked sort of like a key. So it must've been a Keyblade."  
Forming a rough idea of the key in his mind, he simply replied, "I can assure you, now, it wasn't mine. Swear it."  
"Oh yeah? Then what was it?"  
Growing a tad frustrated from this girl asking questions as if he knew everything, Sora narrowed his lips to a pout, furrowing his brow.  
"How should I know!" he ended up exploding. He stood up with a sigh. "I'm about just as confused as you are, Taiyou."  
Taiyou took Sora's place on the tarp, staring into her torn up sandals. "You're right," she sighed back, "I'm sorry..."  
"Nah, it's fine." he brightened up again, "Let's just find out how to get out of here."  
"Wha...? W-where else is there to go?"  
"So you're telling me you've never been outside this world, huh?"  
"This... world?"  
"Yep."  
"You mean, there are other worlds out there?"  
"Yep."  
"So how do we get to them?"  
Not another sentence was said between the two, as Sora sent her a wink, signaling to follow. He led her through the rubble as if he knew where he was going, and they came upon a shuttle of some sort. It was about four times the size of the pair standing next to it, its cockpit foggy with lack of light. The bright red and yellow paint strained Taiyou's eyes; she was not very used to the blinding colors.  
"This is a Gummi ship," Sora explained, "I call this one the Highwind."  
"Highwind..." Taiyou parroted his words another time, as if she was learning English all over again.  
"You got it." he smirked at her, "I found it when I... woke up here. My friends and I used to ride it all over- we'd visit so many different worlds." He entered, leaving Taiyou standing in awe.  
"That's awesome!" for the first time in a while, she was overcome with excitement. She bounded in the ship, nearly tripping on the steps inside.  
With a chuckle, Sora handed her a blanket that was tucked under one of the seats. "Here, you should get some sleep. We'll be there sooner than you think."  
"Where?"  
"You'll see. Now go to sleep."  
Taiyou agreed, although yearning to watch every inch they traveled in the Gummi ship, she found a nice spot in the stern and curled up in the bedclothes. Almost instantly, the exhausted girl had drifted away to sleep.

--**x**--

Taiyou was standing on that same shore before the mountains- the beach where she had received that prophecy, before she met the blonde-haired boy in the caves. This time, instead of a drizzly fog, the sun was beaming down on her. Warming her fragile skin that was exposed through her shredded summer clothing, Taiyou gently closed her eyes, curling her fingers to her chest and letting herself go in the comfort of the everlasting sunlight. She had missed it.  
"Taiyou, wake up! We're here!"  
Her eyelids fluttered and flipped open at the sound of Sora's voice. "We're here already?" she leapt from her "bed" in the back of the ship and vaulted outside, nearly shoving Sora over in the process. As her nearly bare feet made contact with the ground, a small flicker of hope that perhaps this place would look like the land of her dreams turned her stomach upside down. Her mouth quickly went ajar with disappointment as the view of this new 'world' had emerged to sight, her hopes dashed aside into it's barren territory.  
It was a heap of abandoned metal factories and rotted trees sprouting from the deserted ground that seemed as though not a foot had stepped upon it for decades. The sky was the exact same hopeless darkness as Twilight Town. She dropped to her knees dramatically as Sora appeared from the Gummi ship, his posture dwindling at the outlook as well. "What... happened?" was all he could muster, "It seems as though we never even left Twilight Town..."  
Taiyou whimpered, for even though she had not known where their destination was, she too had expected better. "What am I supposed to look at... to give me hope?" she whined passively.  
Sora switched his gaze on this girl, obviously surprised at her remark. "You don't have to look at anything," he tried to sound as positive as he could, helping her to her feet, "You just... feel it. In here." he softly pounded a fist against his chest. Visions flooding Taiyou, she suppressed a giggle, placing her hand on her heart. Sora smiled at her and nodded.  
No wonder Taiyou had seen Roxas in him, for even though she was anonymous about the two boys, she felt a deep connection with them. But who, exactly, were they?  
She turned this question over and over in her head, but it began to nag at her so much that she had to know. Thawing Sora from his observant frame of mind, she interrogated him on his journeys.  
He took a deep breath, signaling a long story was to follow. Taiyou took a seat near him, her back against the Gummi ship's neon paint.  
"A couple friends of mine- Riku and Kairi and I; we were planning on building a raft so we could sail to different worlds. Kairi once told me she wasn't born here- on Destiny Islands, I mean- like the rest of us. Yet she still didn't know where, so we were all determined and very excited to get going. It would just be the three of us, expanding our horizons; traveling to other places was a great dream..."  
"Then I started having strange visions of... a door, a closed door, in a far off land. I also started thinking about, well, the Keyblade. Of course they were only dreams, or so I thought. One stormy night I realized the raft we were nearly finished with wouldn't survive that weather out there. So I went to retrieve it. I was attacked by these black creatures with hollow, glowing yellow eyes. They seemed to pop out of the ground. It was really terrifying, trying to fight these things off with a wooden sword..."  
"Somehow or another among that black oblivion... that never-ending mob of Heartless, they were called- I stumbled upon the Keyblade, and with it, my friend Riku. He was telling me that this was our chance; our chance to see other lands. He told me he 'wasn't afraid of the darkness.' But then, I was frightened- just a little."  
"I arrived at Traverse Town, turns out Destiny Islands was sucked into darkness. But I couldn't find Riku, or Kairi. I grew desperate, and lonely. Soon enough Donald and Goofy found me. They are- or were- servants of the King, told to find some sort of 'key.' We went out on this very Gummi ship to worlds of all differences; places you wouldn't even believe- you couldn't even imagine. I got what I wanted, but I couldn't fulfill my desires with my old friends. So I searched for them. Sure, I met many new friends along the way, and then there was Donald and Goofy, but... there was such an empty void without them." he shrugged.  
"Did you ever find them?" Taiyou's eyes glowed with anticipation, "Did you ever return home?"  
Just in time for Sora to answer, an explosion rang throughout the oblivious sky. Dozens of black beings poured from a damaged establishment nearby. Taiyou groaned with the awkward timing of events, rolling her eyes a bit as Sora sprang to his feet. "Come on!" he yelled, "Follow me!" Without even checking to see if she obeyed, Sora took off against the crumbled streets. Slipping on the loosened cobblestones, Taiyou pounded after him.  
A few minutes of sheer alarm and confusion, and Taiyou started to slow down. Panting hard, she was about to call out to Sora, who was a long distance in front of her. She had never sprinted so fast in her life, and was finding it hard to keep up- to even breathe. "Sora... wait--!" she gasped as she tripped over a stray crack jutting out of the road, something only a great impact could inflict. She skidded across the path, feeling her wounds cramp up again.

Sora slid to a halt, swiftly turning his footing to retrieve the fallen girl. "Taiyou!" he called, grabbing her arm in an attempt to help her up. The black creatures were in hot pursuit, ready to pounce in a split second. Sora clenched his teeth, his eyes darting about the mob as they approached with haste. Wavering over what he had to do, Taiyou's broken scream had suddenly pierced his ears as the lead of the riot leapt at her. He had no more time to think.  
Dropping the girl in his hold and calling forth his Keyblade, he bounded at the blur of darkness, avoiding its ominous golden glare. With a single strike, the creature simply disintegrated into thin air. Sora turned to Taiyou, his eyes narrowed in resolution, "We have no choice; we have to fight!"  
"Fight...? Them...?" she cowered.  
"Use the Keyblade!"  
"Are you insane! I don't have a Keyblade!"  
"C'mon Taiyou- light or darkness, the Heartless fear the Keyblade!"  
"The Heartless...? Is that what they're called?"  
"Hurry!"  
Sora was outnumbered by far- and would not last without assistance. Taiyou got to her feet, staring at her empty palms. _How does he do that?_ she wondered, referring to the boy's ability to make the Keyblade form from nothing. She closed her eyes, trying as best as she could muster to focus deeply on that scene- more on the weapon of darkness that caused this whole nightmare.

Unexpectedly, a large blow knocked Taiyou over, and she let out a muffled shout as she opened her eyes to discover one of the many black demons had attacked her. Staring into its hypnotizing yellow eyes, she was overwhelmed with rage. Clenching her fists, she was ready to return a strike with her bare hands. Flipping her body over to throw the Heartless creature off, she realized that she was holding onto a long girder, cold in her clasp. _The Keyblade!_ Without even looking at her grip to see if it was, she swung with all ferocity at the monster, watching smugly as it dissolved into nothing.

As if telepathically, the two fighters leaped together so they were standing back to back, facing against the throng of Heartless that surrounded them on all angles.  
"You okay?"  
"No. Let's go!"  
The two split up, bounding into the fray, and frantically slashing their weapons at every plot of darkness their eyes met. Taiyou was a little maladroit, for she had never brandished such a weapon, nor was ever in such a battle. The power surging from the blade and into her hands was slightly overwhelming, and even seemed to weaken her somewhat.  
Many Heartless later, Taiyou resisted the urge to give up, and was trying even harder to not lose her position. The Keyblade was beginning to feel heavier and heavier, slippery in her grip from sweat, and her arms were slowly going numb. She couldn't last much longer.  
"Sora!" she called desperately, "I can't..."  
"Taiyou! This way!"  
With a hastened swing he lunged past Taiyou, opening a path for her through the crowd of Heartless. The black creatures were dwindling, but still swarming by the hundreds. Taiyou dove off after him, and they ran towards a small group of buildings, which looked like they were once homes. Now they lay rotting, but not in as much destruction as the other areas of this world. Sora muttered inaudibly to himself, pointing at the houses that looked very similar in appearance. Taiyou panicked, realizing the Heartless felons were gaining.  
"This one..." he exclaimed, grabbing hold of Taiyou's wrist and pulling her towards one of the abodes. Swiftly opening the door to enter and closing it behind them, Sora let out a sigh of relief. "We should be safe in here." he said, letting go of Taiyou to wipe sweat from his face.  
For a second they both stood there, eyes closed, leaning against the doorway and breathing heavily. "Sora...!" Taiyou's throat was sore, and her voice was strangled, "Where are we?"  
"This... this is the Radiant Gardens."  
"Have you been here before?"  
"Yes, many times. It's changed, too, though."  
Taiyou finally opened her eyes, curiosity besting her once more. "And this is...?" she asked Sora, exploring the old, dusty wood furniture and trashed books laying everywhere.  
"This is Merlin's house." he replied simply, strolling to a bed in one corner of the room. The cushions were matted with dirt and dust, feathers sticking from the mattress signifying where it was torn. Sora's eyebrows raised when he found a pile of clothing resting underneath the tousled bedcovers. A yellowed piece of torn parchment was pinned to the clothes. "Hey Taiyou..." he said without lifting his gaze from the note, "Look at this..."  
Taiyou approached Sora, taking the paper from his hands. "What's this?" she wondered, turning the message over in her hands before reading it again and again.


	6. Unreal Reality

**Author Notes**: Sorry it took me so long to update x-X; I have to redo a few chapters because I decided to change something at the last minute. Soooo annoying. Anyhow, please enjoy, and I promise tofix up the past chapters ASAP!  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own Sora, the Heartless, a certain quote, anything else related to Kingdom Hearts, Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, or Winnie the Pooh. Got it?

* * *

_"I think this belongs to you."_

Sora extended an arm out to Taiyou, handing her the clothes that were attached to the letter. "I don't really think these are my size," he chortled, "Besides, you don't expect to fight Heartless in _that_, do you?"

Taiyou flashed a grim look at the boy, taking the garb from him. "So, in other words, we're gonna have to fight more of those creepy little things?"

Sora leaned a bit, resting his hands over his neck. "Most likely," he murmured.  
"Great. That's something I can look forward to."  
"No need to be so negative."  
"And how am I supposed to be positive at a time like this?"

Sora shrugged a reply as Taiyou discarded her old rags in exchange for her new costume. She felt much more comfortable, wearing a dark purple tunic that extended to a skirt at her waist and a brown, open shirt over it. Her brown pants elongated to her knees, a silver belt wrapped around and down her thighs. Her long, dark chocolate boots were loosely tied, but very snug, yet she wouldn't remove her silver choker- given to her by Shanteru.

"Looks great." Sora snagged a glance between his strange wandering, as if he was looking for something very dear to him. "Thanks," Taiyou replied as she slipped on a lengthy, finger-less glove, but raised her eyebrows at his abnormal behavior. "What're you doing?"

"Just… checking to see if it's still here."  
"What's still here?"  
"Aha! I found it!"  
"…Found what?"

Sora handed her a worn book. Brushing some of the dust off, she noticed a small illustration of Sora on the cover. "Hey, that's you!" she laughed, recognizing the boy was portrayed sitting next to another character. The individual was a small, golden plush of a bear clothed in a slack red T-shirt. The name of the tome read '_Winnie the Pooh_.'

"Winnie the Pooh?" Taiyou echoed, confused by the title, "What the… who's that?"  
Sora pointed to the stuffed bear on the front, "That's him," he explained.  
"How do you know him?"  
"We used to have adventures of our own."  
"Well, where is he? Can we see him?"  
"You really want to meet him?"  
"Sure! Why not?"  
"Okay then…"

Biting back a laugh, Sora tossed the book to the table in the center of the room. He flipped to a certain page, backed off a few steps and took Taiyou's hand in his.

"Ready?" he asked, eager to get her response.  
"Hold up. What's going on here?"  
"On the count of three--"  
"-On the count of three, what?"  
"Listen; on the count of three- I want you to jump towards the book- as high as you can."  
"Why? What's gonna happen?"  
"You wanted to meet him, right?"  
"So he's in the book?"  
"You got it."  
"But wait- if…"

Taiyou trailed off, too confused for any more words. Sora smiled his yard-long grin, then slightly bent at his knees. "One…" he motioned Taiyou to do the same,

"…two…"

Taiyou closed her eyes, as if expecting to just smash into the wooden table. "Ow…" she muttered under her breath as if she was already living the moment.

"…three!"

Tightening her grip on Sora's hand, the pair leapt off the ground near the small book lying on the table. Finally realizing that they had made no collision whatsoever, Taiyou opened her eyes to be blinded by a white light. Although there was nothing around them, she could see Sora's presence next to her. Releasing his hand, she instead clung onto his arm. "Oh my…" she squeaked, baffled that he was right, "What's going on…?"

She instantly felt ground under her and stumbled from the impact. Grass began to sprout from under their feet, as tall forest trees grew steadily from the ground. Looking up, Taiyou saw a blue sky run like wet paint over their heads, and before long the white light faded into sunbeams in the east.

Still attached to Sora's arm, the boy began to move forward. Taiyou gasped and let go of him, still under the spell of shock from the entire experience. Sora laughed, "Taiyou, he's over there. Come on, let's go meet him."

They walked over to a large oak tree, a small door resting at its base. Next to the tree was a lone log, and on that log sat a tiny, yellow Winnie the Pooh. He seemed to be in deep thought, tapping a paw on his head patiently.

"Hey Pooh." Sora said simply and the bear looked up.  
"Oh, Sora- its you. I was just thinking about how hungry I was."  
"You sure are always hungry," Sora laughed. Taiyou looked at him like he was insane.  
"I see you've brought a friend, Sora."  
"Oh, yeah. This is Taiyou. Taiyou wanted to meet you."  
"Why, hello there, Taiyou." Pooh's black, beady eyes met hers, "It's so nice to have more friends around."  
Taiyou stared in disbelief for a few moments; was this bear actually speaking to her? She finally smiled back, "Aww," she squealed, "How cute are you?"  
"Why thank you, Taiyou. Now Sora, if you'll excuse me- my tummy is rather rumbly."  
Sora waved as the plush sat up and waddled off the other direction. "Okay, see you later." he chuckled once more. "So, Taiyou. What do you think?"  
"I'm still trying to figure out how we got here in the first place."  
"Well, we better go. There's someone else I have to check on."  
"This didn't last long. Do they live in books, too?"

He winked at her, then put a hand on her shoulder and guided her away from the forestry scene. The sunbeams flashed again, returning to the oblivious white light. Taiyou felt the floor vanish under her, and she grasped onto Sora's arm again. She didn't think she'd ever get used to this. Before they knew it, they were standing in Merlin's room.

"What kinds of worlds are these, anyway?" she asked.  
"There are many worlds out there," Sora replied in a casual tone, "Of all shapes and sizes."  
"No… way…"  
"Yes. Now, can I see that note again?"

Taiyou handed him the slip of paper they found fastened to her clothing, trance-like from his explanation on the endless universe. "What do you think it means?" he pondered absently, skimming it over again:

_I lose my guidance  
__Down this way, misled,  
__As pieces of your heart  
__Fade, one by one.  
__Rounding the edges of chaos  
__In this broken world  
__One teardrop falls  
__Staining our crossed paths._

Taiyou merely shrugged. "Beats me," she almost sounded frustrated, "I feel like… I don't know anything at all." Sora looked at her pitifully.

"Frankly," he replied, "That's exactly what I feel like, too."  
Silence followed their conversation.  
Taiyou was the first to break the awkwardness that entered the air.  
"So, Sora, what's our next stop?"  
"Well, I'm not so sure we should go out there again. The Heartless may find us."

With an exasperated sigh, he flopped down on the bed, resting his head on the wall. "I wonder where they went…" he asked himself quietly. Taiyou overheard.

"Who?"  
"Oh, just a few friends. Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid… they've helped me a lot."  
"Sounds like you know everyone."  
"Well, I've been to many places."  
"Sounds like you're famous."  
Sora blushed slightly, "Famous? Me?" he bowed his head, "I wouldn't say that…"  
"How come…" Taiyou tapped a finger on her forehead in thought, "How come you say you've been to Twilight Town, but I've never heard of you? Or… or any of those friends you mentioned? I would think that if someone from another world came to… _mine_… then his name would travel through our neighborhood really quick. It's a pretty small town, actually…"  
Sora's expression melted, replaced with a concerned look.  
"There's gotta be someone out there who knows… _something_…"  
"Well, what're we waiting for?" Taiyou exchanged a smile, throwing a fist in the air, "Let's go! We're gonna go see the world! Right?"  
Sora nodded. "Right." he stood up, "But there are as many worlds as there are stars- so there must be someone who knows something, huh?" Taiyou giggled.  
"Of course!"  
"Alright then, we're off!"

Maybe it was the cheerful disposition of that cuddly Winnie the Pooh, but they both exited the room with a stimulated aura.

--**x**--

"Good thing those Heartless had vanished," Sora stated as he took a seat at the cockpit in the Gummi ship, Taiyou sitting next to him. Her seatbelt was straining from the position she was in, hunched on her knees with her hands delicately pressed against the glass of the window. Her excitement reminded Sora of his first time in the ship. Recollecting the sensation of seeing that endless, starry abyss, he almost wished he could travel backwards in time and experience it once more. With a sigh he pulled at the lever jutting out of the control keyboard and pressed a few multi-colored buttons. The ship lurched from its spot before the rockets started up, blasting the craft upward as they glided away from the Radiant Gardens.

--**x**--

"Wow…" was all Taiyou could manage to say, as they flew effortlessly through the infinite space of celestial wonders. She gaped at the endless amount of stars that winked at her, tempting her to travel to each and every one of them. Brilliant auroras danced boundlessly below them, and as Taiyou tried to view their full radiance, she leaned on the cockpit window so heavily that Sora even regarded the situation of the spacecraft barreling over.

"Taiyou!" he warned, "Don't lean so close! You'll tip us upside-down!"  
"Sorry…" Taiyou blushed, embarrassed at her naïve nature.

With so many new sights to see, Taiyou couldn't help but yearn for Shanteru's presence. She could almost hear Shantsi's amazed tone, and feel the warmth of her hands pressed against the glass near her. At that moment, for simply a heartbeat, Taiyou swore she could see Shanteru next to her from the corner of her eye. Her heart fluttering, she snapped her head, believing- _knowing_- that her friend was with her. However, her hopes were scattered once more, for when she looked, Shantsi wasn't there. _I'm just imagining things…_ Taiyou convinced herself dimly, yet she still felt her presence. She began to direct her focus on her own self, losing her consciousness in memories of her old life- Shanteru, Twilight Town, her mom's revolting casserole…

Before she even knew it, Taiyou had drifted away to slumber.

* * *

**Ahh**! Winnie the Pooh! What a lovely introduction to the Disney worlds, eh?  
But now I'm stuck. Where shall the duo travel next? Where do _YOU_ want to see Taiyou and Sora travel to? Please suggest your Disney worlds on the reviews page! I NEED HELP! ;;


	7. Stepping Back

**Author Notes**: Oh, wow. It's been such a long while. I've currently entered summer vacation mode, sorry to everyone who have been actually waiting for this chapter. BUT NEVER FEAR! For I have a treat at the end of this chapter for you readers! Mwrehehehe...  
**Disclaimer**: As a matter of fact, I DO own Kingdom Hearts and Square Enix doesn't!  
Hey, look! A pig flew by! It's raining malted milk balls!  
_

* * *

_

_"You know, Riku has changed."_

Taiyou was dreaming again. Deep down, she knew it. Yet this world in her dreams- it was so realistic. Palm trees swayed in the caressing breeze, reaching towards the sun behind them, which was setting in its sheer brilliance of bright oranges, yellows, and pinks. Taiyou found herself standing in the ocean, an area shallow enough to wade through. She could see the sunset's orange and rosy pink colors as they rippled and winked on the sea's surface, and she could feel foam from the gentle waves kiss her ankles. She breathed in the deep mingled scents of exotic fruits and fish, and could taste the salt lingering in the sea-borne air.

Observing about, she discovered she was standing directly in front of a tiny dock, connected to a great big island that erupted before her. A few tropical trees stood proud, sprouting from the sand. Star-shaped fruits rested delicately at their tips, triggering a memory etched inside of her. _Paopu fruits…_ she admired their comforting memory until she recognized two figures sitting in the distance.

One, she noticed with surprise- was Sora. Although he looked much younger, Taiyou could easily recognize him with his spiked hair and abnormally sized shoes, which were swinging in midair playfully as he sat. He was staring straight at her, but when she waved, he didn't seem to see her. Almost as if she didn't even exist here at all. Next to Sora sat a shorter girl, with dark, cropped red hair, deep blue eyes, and rosy cheeks. On her lips a heartwarming smile played, and her poised hands rested on her crossed knees where her feet lay suspended, carelessly dangling. Taiyou noted that their mouths were moving, signifying an enjoyable conversation. Curious what they were talking about, she began to approach them, but stopped in her tracks as soon as she could hear their voices clearly.

"Sora, let's take the raft and go! Just the two of us!"

Taiyou's eyes widened. That girl's voice- she's heard it before. It actually sounded somewhat like Shantsi's, but she just couldn't recall where she witnessed it. Her thoughts were interrupted when Sora spoke up in a confused intonation, "Huh?"

"Just kidding!" she smiled at him, eyes glistening.

"What's gotten into you? You're the one that's changed, Kairi." Sora's voice was obviously higher-pitched, confirming he was younger than when Taiyou had met him.

"Maybe…"  
The two adolescents turned to face the sunset in the background, but Taiyou kept her gaze locked on both of them. The girl who must've been Kairi, according to Sora, hushed her voice so she spoke in a slightly more serious, yet softer manner.

"You know, I was a little afraid at first, but now I'm ready. No matter where I go or what I see, I know I can always come back here. Right?"  
"Yeah, of course!"  
"That's good…"

By this time Taiyou was trying to make sense of their words, until she remembered the story Sora had told her. She recalled him saying something about his friends Riku and Kairi, and how it was their dream to sail on their homemade raft into different worlds. She exchanged a grin, _So this is Kairi…_ she thought, interested, as the girl conversed.

"Sora…"

Sora's attention was captured by her as he turned his head to face her own, which was still staring out at the sky.

"Don't ever change."

"Don't ever change." Taiyou echoed in a whisper. She suddenly felt she had lived this moment once before when she heard Kairi utter that single phrase. As Sora and Kairi had finished their chat, they stood up from the dock and left together. She repeated it again, just trying to remember- to name this unknown emotion. But no matter how hard she tried, she was left wordless. Persuading herself it was just a figment of another dream or, maybe, she was even just making it all up, she took Sora's spot on the dock and his line of gaze as she stared into the sunset, watching it slowly sink into the horizon.

The sky almost seemed to call out to her, to sing her name in the breeze that ran through it. It sounded like an ancient friend… whose name had been forgotten, but Taiyou just couldn't put her finger on it...

_"Taiyou…"  
_With a sigh, Taiyou leaned back at her spot, positioning her hands behind her for support. The wind brushed up against her hair as if passionately and pleasantly stroking her and holding her, such as her mother or father would when she was a little girl in their laps. How she missed that sensation. That single sentiment…

_"Taiyou…"  
_It tickled her nose, blowing wrinkles and ripples in her clothing. Taiyou watched her shoulder-length hair blow towards the sunset, as if the wind was beckoning her to follow. There was so much to think about, but she just couldn't now. She just wished this moment could last forever. But it wouldn't last. Deep down, she knew it. "Don't worry," she finally replied almost sub-consciously,

"…I won't."

--**x**--

"Tie-ooo…" Taiyou heard Sora's voice from the darkness, singing. She opened her eyes, slowly, her eyelids feeling heavy. She was still exhausted from all her adventuring. Grumbling, she rolled over, requesting five more minutes of sleep. Sora wasn't pleased.

"Get up, now. C'mon, Taiyou! Up! UP!"

"I'm up…" Taiyou murmured, ornery. She did sit up, finding Sora sitting in a large chair near the main controls, rapping his fingers impatiently on his knees. Taiyou groaned, using the window she was leaning on the night before for support as she attempted to stand up. "I'm up!" she repeated, smoothing out her attire.

"Finally, you're awake." Sora smiled his mile-long grin.  
"What!" Taiyou moaned, angered from fatigue.  
"We're here!" Sora threw out both of his arms in a gesture. Taiyou's rage melted away, replaced a thrilled sensation. "We are?" she asked, just wanting to hear him say it again, "Where are we?"  
"This is Traverse Town."

Taiyou darted towards the exit, nearly slamming herself up against the doorway to look out the small, circular window attached in the center of it. Her excitement caused Sora to sigh with amusement. "Now, now, Taiyou…" he began in a sarcastic lecture, digging through a drawer under the ship controls keyboard. Taiyou turned around and walked up to Sora, still scanning the transparent cockpit as if she couldn't take her eyes off of the new sight.

"I think before we go, you should read this."

With that, he tossed a booklet at her. Ungainly catching it, Taiyou exchanged the novel from one hand to another. The book was worn, with a loose binder and a few torn, yellowed pages.

"What's this?" Taiyou raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Just read it. I found it- for some reason- in my lap when I woke up in Twilight Tow- I mean- those ruins. Go on. Read it." Sora exchanged a wry expression.

Taiyou lowered her eyes smugly while she flipped the book to its first page and began skimming its tiny, faded text:

The Beginning  
_Each journey gives rise to chance encounters, and each encounter brings forth a farewell.  
__When a farewell leads to a journey, the worlds open their hearts.  
__Those chosen by the light, or ensnared by darkness. Friends who share the same bonds, though their paths may differ.  
__When you doubt the path trod thus far, when the hand you held is lost to you, gaze anew at the heart that once was..  
__For all the answers are within._

The second page was obviously torn apart, with the title 'Interlude' dulled in the corner of it. Paying more regard to the first page then lack of the second, Taiyou turned the remains of the chapter over and read the last paragraph instead.

The Future Story  
_Will the day come when this battle, born of confusion, will end?  
__It is different things to different people.  
__Can the reality be that which is hidden?  
__The reason is mere existence. Still, memories can be believed.  
__Be not afraid. Entrust your body to the soothing waves of your memories.  
__By and by, your fleeting rest will be over…  
__And everything will begin._

For a long moment, Taiyou just stared into the spaces between the stanzas. "Lost…?" she repeated from the story, this time in question. Although she couldn't make exact sense of the words, she remembered a line from one of her dreams, and somehow, understanding stirred deep inside her. Yet it was so lost within, she couldn't grasp hold of it, and the sentences remained a lingering mystery floating in her mind.

Sora wanted to make sure she still knew of his presence. "So…" he leaned over on his heels slightly, "What do you think? Wanna see Traverse Town?"

Taiyou looked up at him with her abysmal stare. Her gaze was as if she was looking right through him, instead of at him. Taking no note of it, he waved his hands in her face mockingly as he started towards the exit. "Let's go," he tapped her lightly on the shoulder and opened the entry. Blinking a few times, Taiyou's eyes softened as if snapping out of a trance, and she smiled a bit. "Yeah…" she breathed, placing the book back into the drawer. She turned around, awkwardly bounded to the door and, dodging Sora, burst into the open world of Traverse Town.

--**x**--

Taiyou congratulated herself under her breath, for Traverse Town was finally a complete world- no ruins or traces of a city that once was lay in her path. Stars twinkled, as if smiling, down upon the few story buildings that seemed to welcome her with their embracing structure. Taiyou felt a hand rest on her shoulder. "This way," she turned her head to face Sora, who was pointing to an alleyway that only extended a few feet until it was lost in the darkness of the night. "This way? Why this way?" Taiyou was a bit confused why they weren't following the main road down the town- where they could at least see what lay ahead of them.

"It's only a shortcut." Sora was already making his way down the alley. Hesitation entered her mind, but Taiyou had no choice but to follow.

"Wait up!" Taiyou was beginning to lose Sora's faint outline in the darkness. Sora did his best to slow down, but he was just too excited. _Maybe I could find Leon _here… he wondered hopefully, since this place wasn't in destruction like the others. Caught up in his thoughts, he hardly noticed his follower's muffled shrieks, signaling a sudden ambush. "Taiyou!" he called forth his Keyblade, trying to find the girl in the dark. A pair of gleaming red eyes halted him in his tracks, before he caught glimpse of Taiyou's azure gaze flicker with fear. He slashed blindly at the fiery optics, and somehow grasped onto Taiyou's wrist. "Come on!" he didn't care if she would cooperate in her state, and pulled her along like a dog on a leash. He could feel they were being chased, as many more eyes followed the pair through the alleyway…

Finally, light! Sora slowed down enough to let Taiyou get her footing as they escaped from the darkness into the light of the starry-lit sky. "Well, thanks for that," she snarled sarcastically, checking her knees for cuts and scrapes. Sora apologized for pulling her so roughly and heedlessly, but she replied with a hint of humor in her voice, "I can't believe you _could've_ even dragged me that far."

With a smirk, she began walking forward. "Where are we now?"

Sora looked about, but as he opened his mouth to answer, monsters spilled from the darkness of the alley. Sora sighed "Not again…" he mumbled. Taiyou, more lazy than scared now that she could see, moaned and rolled her eyes again. "Don't tell me, more Heartless?"

Sora stuttered, "T-these aren't Heartless!" he gasped. Taiyou froze.

"What are they, then?" she yelled, fearlessly charging at one and swinging viciously at it with her beckoned Keyblade. Sora did the same, trying to decipher what the creatures were. They weren't Heartless, or Nobodies- another form of evil that Sora had to fight on his quests. These _things_ glowed with an eerie black aura, their piercing red gaze filled with such immoral to paralyze one on the spot with fear. Their light gray, flowing bodies twisted and coiled like mist, giving them a ghost-like appearance.

Who knows if minutes or hours past before one final slash sent the last creature evaporating into a silver smog. Taiyou fell backwards into the cobblestone ground, while Sora hadn't even broke a sweat.

"What… were those…?" Taiyou panted.  
"I… I have no clue." Sora stared into the cobblestone, searching his memory to no avail.  
"Those were the Twisted, of course."  
A voice echoed throughout the area as a figure leaped from a stone wall that was erected near the alley, hidden by the tops of trees. Taiyou lifted herself to her feet. "Who are you?" she felt as if she was asking that question a lot lately.  
"Well, hello there. I'm Noel- nice to meet you."

A girl with fiery red hair and a hypnotizing amber gaze met the eyes of the two travelers. She was wearing a green kimono that stopped at her knees as if it was chopped off on purpose, and her linen emerald sash draped loosely over her waist, tied and fluffed out into a bow at her back. Her hair was held up in a matching bow, loose strands falling over her face.

Sora thought it was only polite to introduce himself. "I'm Sora," he bowed his head slightly. Taiyou regarded in doing the same, "And I'm Tai--"

"--What are you two doing out here at night? Its dangerous! There are Twisted lurking everywhere you look!" Noel interrupted Taiyou, darting her eyes left and right dramatically.

Taiyou felt offended. "We can take care of ourselves!" she boasted, fists clenched.

"Not if you keep getting mobbed by 'em. I told ya-- they're _everywhere_. Soon you'll be outnumbered, and then… well…"

"Well what?" Taiyou narrowed her eyes. For some reason, she didn't like this new person.

"…I'm not too sure." Noel shrugged, "…but I'm sure Kage would know…" she added under her breath.

Taiyou didn't seem to notice her last remark, "Wait, then what are _you_ doing out here?"

Noel responded in a snobbish tone, "To keep people like you guys safe out'n this town! Like I told ya-- it's dangerous!"

Sora finally spoke up, "I'm sure we could handle it," he explained simply.

Noel walked over to Sora, placing her hands on his shoulders and batting her eyelashes at him. "Well, I'm sure someone as strong as you, Sora, could handle himself. You better protect you're li'l follower, here. You two a couple?"

Taiyou and Sora's jaws both dropped instantaneously. "No!" they both responded in unison teeth barred and fists clenched.

"Ooh, well… that's wonderful." Noel giggled in a flirting manner, casting the evilest of gleams at Taiyou, who shook a fist at her threateningly. Sora coughed uncomfortably.

"So c'mon," Noel was all over Sora, and started curling his shirt around her finger like _they_ were a couple. Sora wanted to slice her hand off with his Keyblade or at least get away from the 'too outgoing' girl, but being the polite 'gentleman' he was, he just stood there, shooting Taiyou a _please-help-me_ glare. Taiyou bit her lip to stop her from laughing.

"You guys can stop at my house and rest for the night." Noel patted Sora's shoulder, batting her eyelashes at him again and walking away. "C'mon- I said: let's go!"

"Uhh… well… actually…"

Too late- Noel was already out of hearing distance, making her way towards the road. Sora groaned exasperatingly, while Taiyou burst out laughing. "You… should've… seen… your face!" she choked. She took hold of Sora's forearm and pulled him towards the disappearing Noel.

"Let's go, loverboy."

Sora groaned again. The two went off to catch up to Noel, both thinking the same thought:

_It's going to be a long night._

* * *

**End of Chapter Notes**: I've decided to add what I call EOCN (end of chapter notes). This will include a preview of the next chapter along with news that is better left said _after_ the chapter. So in today's end notes-ness, I shall remind you readers to keep suggesting worlds you want to see Taiyou and Sora travel too! Yeah... I actually was stumped on them, and that's why they came and met Noel at Traverse Town, first. -;;  
Snippetof Chapter 7: The Shell of His Heart  
"So what did you think of Noel?"  
"I don't know... she had a funny accent..."  
"Taiyou..."  
"Hey, she did!" 


End file.
